If you’re not marketing effectively to brides on a consistent basis, you’ll always experience times of famine in your business. So here are nine marketing ideas that are not only effective but also inexpensive.

1. Identify your target market, and market only to those people.
Most people are afraid to “niche” their businesses and market only to a target group of brides, but that’s exactly what works.
If you say that your target market is “brides,” then you’re probably not getting a whole lot of ideal, paying brides in your business consistently. Figure out where your ideal bride lives, what she drives, how much money she makes, where she shops, what she loves to do and how old she is.
When you do this, you get really clear on who you work best with, and that makes it easier for you to market to those brides in a way that’s conversational and allows you to really relate to them. When you do this, the brides will flock to you!

2. Use “pull marketing” questions.
If you go to my website for wedding planning (www.nataliebradley.com), you will see types of “pull marketing” questions that speak right to the pains that my target bride is probably experiencing. Here are a few examples (feel free to model these). The key is to know potential customers’ frustrations and problems, then speak to those things.
• Do you want to create the wedding day of your dreams?
• Do you know what you want but have no idea how or where to get it?
• Do you lack the expertise to create the designs of your dreams?
• Do you want your wedding to be the talk of the town for years to come?

3. Use an e-zine to communicate with your brides weekly or biweekly.
An e-zine is the most effective marketing tool to stay in front of your brides. In fact, in my business, within three months of signing up on my e-zine list, brides are buying from me in one way or another.
They key is to offer high-value, high-content articles and information for free, then give them a call to action to work with you. It’s that easy. And the bonus is that brides will see you as the expert in the industry because you’re talking to them directly, and they’re seeing how extraordinary you are and how much information you have to offer them for free! (They’re thinking, if she’s giving me this much information for free, imagine what she’d give me if I paid her for her services.)

4. Create a website that generates leads instead of being just an online brochure.
Most websites are just stale online brochures. Brides will visit for a few seconds, then leave — usually forever. That’s no good because you lose potential sales.
Instead, have a website with an opt-in box on every page, offering a free report, free class, free audio or something really irresistible. Then, as a bonus for the brides (and you), they also receive a complimentary subscription to your e-zine, giving you permission to market to them over and over again!

5. Speak to brides.
This may sound like a no-brainer, but most wedding professionals are not getting in front of brides enough. Ask if you can be the guest speaker at open houses, bridal fairs, trunk shows, tastings or any occasion where brides are gathered by the dozens or the hundreds.

6. Develop the “Know, Like and Trust Factor.”
Now, more than ever, in everything you do, you have to develop the “Know, Like and Trust Factor” before people will buy from you. Put as much of you in your marketing materials and conversations as you can so that consumers will get to know, like and trust you and, as a result, will buy from you, too.

7. Provide only real value.
People are buying based on real perceived value now. Not just fluff. So, in everything you do, be truthful, be ethical and be the expert. Don’t try to fool your brides; it won’t work.

8. Utilize direct mail.
In a technological age, direct mail is more valuable than ever before. If you send marketing materials that sell (using all of the above), brides will not only read your information but also buy from you!

9. Network.
Networking, online and in person, is key to getting your name out there. Networking in person with brides and other wedding professionals is fabulous because they get to know, like and trust you in person.
Networking online is also very exciting because of the number of people you can reach with just a few clicks of your mouse. Just make sure that when you network, you also use your other fantastic marketing strategies to effectively reach out to brides and get them to buy.

Your Bride Attraction Assignment
Pick three items on this list to implement this week. Implement three more items next week and the final three the week after that. And, do it consistently and continuously, with passion, authenticity and excitement!

Natalie Bradley, The Bride Attraction Mentor, is creator of the Bride Attraction System, the proven step-by-step program that shows you exactly how to attract more brides, make more money and have more freedom in your business — guaranteed. To get your free audio course, "5 Ways to Recession-Proof Your Wedding Business" and receive Ms. Bradley's weekly marketing and motivation articles on attracting more ideal, high-paying brides and drastically increasing your income, visit www.brideattraction.com.